Auto Repair 101 - Auto Industry News in Spartanburg, SC | Bolton-James Tire & Alignment, Inc.

12

Are You Ready For A Roadside Emergency?

Yeah, yeah…your vehicle’s fairly new and you take care of it, and you’ve even got a membership in AAA. That doesn’t mean that your chances of ending up in a tight spot are zero. It’s just common sense to be prepared with a trouble bag in your car. Here’s a pretty good rundown of things you should keep in a car emergency kit:Fully charged cell phone: You may want to consider a cheap prepaid “burner phone” with a long battery life and keep it s...

| View Count: (104)

20

So You Think Some Traffic Laws Are Nuts?

Yes, there are plenty of traffic laws in certain areas that don’t make much sense. Here, though, we present a collection of traffic laws from other parts of the world that are just bizarre:--In Thailand, the law states that no driver, male or female, shall ever drive without a shirt.--In South Africa, “the driver of a vehicle on a public road shall stop such vehicle at the request or on the signal of a person leading or driving any bovine animal, horse, ass, mule, sheep, goat, pig, o...

| View Count: (138)

19

Your Car’s an Investment – Protect It

You rely on your car every day, and you have a lot of money tied up in it. It’s probably one of the more valuable things you own…so make sure you get the most out of that investment:Oil changes: Changing your motor oil at regular intervals will ensure long engine life by cutting wear and friction and helping to prevent the buildup of sludge and carbon on internal engine assemblies.Cooling system: Older cast-iron engines could overheat with no serious consequences, but not so with to...

| View Count: (100)

19

Make Sure Your Car's Ready For Winter!

You know that winter and bad weather are coming. Is your car ready? Here’s a quick checklist of things to get up to speed on:Motor oil: Motor oil has a tendency to thicken in cold weather, making it harder to circulate to upper engine parts at startup. If you haven’t ever used synthetic oil before, this might be a good time to start. The flow properties of synthetic oil are a lot more consistent, meaning it doesn’t thicken in sub-freezing temperatures or thin out when it’...

| View Count: (144)

25

Things To Look For When Buying a Used Car

Buying a used car is somewhat less of a crapshoot than it was at one time. You can get detailed information on a vehicle's history via the CARFAX report, and a technician can use onboard diagnostics to get a good picture of what's going on under the hood and what problems might be coming up. It's always a good idea to get a mechanic to look over any prospective purchase, but there are things you can get a look at yourself before you spend the money for a professional inspe...

| View Count: (300)

25

Tips On How To Keep Your Car Organized!

For some, the idea of an "organized car" is almost blasphemous, but having your vehicle set up so you can actually find things can be pretty nice. The bigger the vehicle -- minivans, SUVs -- and the more people they haul, the more disorganized they can get. Don't let your minivan turn into a rolling dumpster -- here are some great ideas for keeping it organized. -- While newer vehicles have come a long way in terms of driver and passenger ergonomics and an abundance of c...

| View Count: (138)

25

What's Leaking From My Car?

You go out to your car, start it up, pull out of your parking space and see a puddle of...something...where you were parked a moment ago. This is never a good feeling. What could it be? Fortunately, some automotive fluids are dyed different colors to make this a little easier to narrow down. Does it appear to be water? Were you recently running your A/C? Chances are that's just condensation from the A/C system, which drips out through a rubber tube and is perfectly norm...

| View Count: (237)

19

A/C Problems Demystified

Believe it or not, the A/C system in your vehicle is fairly simple in principle and design. Like your refrigerator, it operates on a cycle of compression and expansion of a gas, known as refrigerant. The compressor turns the gas into a liquid, and as the gas evaporates it provides cooling. Like your refrigerator, its main components are: Compressor Condenser Receiver/dryer Thermostatic expansion valve Evaporator Refrigerant Blower The good news is most automotive A/C...

| View Count: (141)

14

Regular, Synthetic or Blend...What Kind of Oil Do I Need?

At one time, there were only a couple of choices for motor oil. Today, that is no longer the case, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to consider when it's time for an oil change: Viscosity: Viscosity is how thick your oil is, and how it retains its pour properties at various temperatures. In this respect, synthetic oil is far superior. Conventional oils will thicken in cold weather and thin out when very hot, while the viscosity of synthet...

| View Count: (194)

News

Are You Ready For A Roadside Emergency?

So You Think Some Traffic Laws Are Nuts?

Your Car’s an Investment – Protect It

Make Sure Your Car's Ready For Winter!

Things To Look For When Buying a Used Car

Tips On How To Keep Your Car Organized!

What's Leaking From My Car?

A/C Problems Demystified

Regular, Synthetic or Blend...What Kind of Oil Do I Need?

Tires

Services

About

Visit Our Shop

Contact Us

Make a Tire or Auto Repair Appointment Today